Khanna named to caucus

U.S. Representative Ro Khanna was recently elected as first vice chair of the Progressive Caucus. This caucus is the largest in the House of Representatives, with more than 90 members.

“Our platform is bold,” Khanna said in a statement. “It includes Medicare for All, debt-free college, and a Green New Deal–policies we desperately need if we’re going to survive as a nation.”

Khanna represents California’s 17th congressional district, which includes Cupertino, Sunnyvale and Milpitas. He’ll be holding a town hall meeting for his constituents Dec. 16, 2-3:30 p.m. at the Berryessa Community Center, 3050 Berryessa Road San Jose. RSVP to https://khanna.house.gov/contact/newsletter.

Text-based counseling

Emotionally or mentally distressed residents in Santa Clara County now have access to a 24-7 text-based crisis counseling service.

Santa Clara County’s Behavioral Health Services Department has partnered with Crisis Text Line, Inc. to provide free, text-based, confidential assistance to county residents. To receive text-based support from trained Crisis Text Line counselors, residents can text “RENEW” to 741741. The support is free, accessible 24/7 and confidential.

Crisis Text Line, a national organization, has more than 4,500 active crisis counselors, the vast majority of whom are under age 25.

“The ability to offer text-based support to people in need … is an especially important tool to offer to young people in Santa Clara County,” said Toni Tullys, director of Behavioral Health Services. “It’s important to make access to counseling easy and approachable, and text-based support does both.”

On Jan. 5, 11 volunteers from the Central YMCA descended upon San Jose’s historic Municipal Rose Garden with one goal in mind: to prune 3,500 rosebushes. With the help of the San Jose Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services Department, and a little bit of elbow grease, yellow-vested volunteers of all ages were able to beautify the garden. “After cutting back...